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More than mere cricket

REUTERS, New Delhi
India versus Pakistan cricket series has an impact reaching far beyond the boundary.
India's first full tour to Pakistan for more than 14 years is already driving one billion fans on both sides of the border into a frenzy and causing a clamour in India for Pakistan visas.
Many hope cricket could be the catalyst to build enduring peace between the two south Asian nations, whose animosity has been intense since they gained freedom from Britain in 1947.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and the nuclear-armed nations teetered on the brink of a fourth two years ago.
A thaw in political relations since April last year has led to both countries restoring full diplomatic ties.
Cricket matches between the two nations are seen as the next logical step forward, a test of goodwill because the game is almost a religion in both countries and for fans an India-Pakistan match is akin to sporting war.
New Zealand captain Stephen
Fleming gave an outsider's perspective last year when he was asked to explain the intensity between New Zealand and Australia.
"It's like India and Pakistan," he said, before quickly adding: "But without that tension."
The tour, which starts with a one-day international on March 13, was given the all-clear only after India's government revoked its ban on bilateral cricket with Pakistan, imposed in 2000 due to political tensions.
Last year, India were dealt a crushing defeat in the World Cup final by Australia. Back home they were absolved of blame because they had beaten Pakistan earlier in the tournament.
Political leaders in both countries have looked to cash in on the kind of interest these head-to-head matches generate.
A prime example was when former Pakistan president Zia ul-Haq stole the headlines by arriving dramatically during a Pakistan Test match in India in 1986.
Both nations will have much at stake in the series which involves five one-dayers and three Tests. The build-up has been dominated by safety concerns which led to
the volatile cities of Karachi and Peshawar being awarded only one-dayers.
Indian home ministry officials had favoured postponing the series over security. Some felt the ruling party, having advanced general elections, was worried about any adverse effect an Indian defeat could have on its reelection prospects.
The country's election commission has announced that polling will start on April 20, three days after the tour ends.
A successful tour will be just as important for Pakistan.
They see India's clearance as a big goodwill gesture and have promised the tourists' security fit for heads of state.
The tour will also be a big boost for the cash-starved Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and an incident-free series will help allay safety concerns of other teams which has led to tours being postponed.
For the ordinary Pakistani fan, it will end an interminable wait to see Sachin Tendulkar play a Test in Pakistan for the first time since his debut there as a 16-year-old in 1989.